Reading comprehension I: inference, assumption, corollary and implication: previous-year questions
211 real UPSC Prelims questions (2011–2026) with the official answer and a clear explanation. 62 of them came in the last five papers.
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Read the passage
Today, if we consider cities such as New York, London and Paris as some of the most iconic cities in the world, it is because plans carrying a heavy systems approach were imposed on their precincts. The backbone of the systems theory is the process of translating social, spatial and cultural desirables into mathematical models using computing, statistics, optimization and an algorithmic way of formulating and solving problems. The early universities of the West which began to train professionals in planning, spawned some of the most ingenious planners, who were experts in these domains. This was because these very subjects were absorbed into the planning curriculum that had its roots in the social sciences, geography and architecture. Planning in India, and its education differ from the West.
Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :
- 1. India needs a new generation of urban professionals with knowledge relevant to modern urban practice.
- 2. Indian universities at present have no capacity or potential to impart training in systems approach.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are correct?
Answer (a) & explanation
Only assumption 1 is valid (a). Step 1: the passage praises Western planning education and then says "Planning in India, and its education differ from the West." This implies India needs planners trained in modern methods, so assumption 1 holds. Step 2: assumption 2 says Indian universities have "no capacity or potential". The passage only says Indian education is different; it never says it is incapable. Step 3: so assumption 2 is far too strong. Options (b), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: "different" is not "incapable". Extreme words like "no capacity", "never" and "impossible" usually make an assumption invalid. India's cities are growing fast, which raises the need for skilled planners.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
By the time children reach class 8, the bulk of them tend to be in the age range of 13 years to 15 years. But in our country, about a quarter of all children in class 8 struggle with reading simple texts and more than half are still unable to do basic arithmetic operations like division. Every year about 25 million young boys and girls from elementary school move into the life that lies for them beyond compulsory schooling. They cannot enter the workforce at least in the organized sector till they are 18. For many families, these children are the first from their families ever to get this far in school. Parents and children expect that such ‘graduates’ from school will go on to high school and college. Hardly anyone wants to go back to agriculture. On the other hand, abilities in terms of academic competencies are far lower than they should be even based on curricular expectations of class 8.
Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :
- 1. For effective school education, parents have greater role than the governments.
- 2. School curriculum that conforms to today’s requirements and is uniform for the entire country may address the issues brought out.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are valid?
Answer (d) & explanation
Neither assumption is valid (d). Step 1: assumption 1 says parents have a bigger role than governments. The passage mentions parents' expectations, but never compares their role with the government's. Step 2: assumption 2 suggests a uniform national curriculum. The passage says children fall short even of the existing class 8 curriculum. So the problem is learning, not the curriculum design; the passage proposes no uniform syllabus. Step 3: so options (a), (b) and (c) fail.
Tip: an assumption must be needed by the passage. Solutions the author never suggests are not assumptions. Surveys like ASER report similar gaps in basic reading and arithmetic.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
By the time children reach class 8, the bulk of them tend to be in the age range of 13 years to 15 years. But in our country, about a quarter of all children in class 8 struggle with reading simple texts and more than half are still unable to do basic arithmetic operations like division. Every year about 25 million young boys and girls from elementary school move into the life that lies for them beyond compulsory schooling. They cannot enter the workforce at least in the organized sector till they are 18. For many families, these children are the first from their families ever to get this far in school. Parents and children expect that such ‘graduates’ from school will go on to high school and college. Hardly anyone wants to go back to agriculture. On the other hand, abilities in terms of academic competencies are far lower than they should be even based on curricular expectations of class 8.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea conveyed by the passage?
Answer (c) & explanation
The central idea is that policy should align young people's skills with their expectations (c). Step 1: the passage says families expect class 8 "graduates" to go to high school and college, and hardly anyone wants to return to farming. Step 2: but their actual abilities are far below even class 8 level. This gap between expectations and competence is the core problem; fixing it is (c). Step 3: options (a) poverty and (b) money incentives are never discussed. Option (d) wants pass-outs to go back to farming, the opposite of the passage's mood.
Tip: the central idea usually ties together the two halves of a passage. Here: high hopes versus low skills.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
Conventional classrooms, by emphasizing fixed duration over learning effectiveness, resign themselves to variable outcomes. The tyranny of the classroom is that every learner is subjected to the same set of lectures in the same way for the same duration. In the end, a few learners shine, some survive, and the rest are left behind. After the fixed duration, the classroom model moves on, with not a thought spared for those left behind. This is how we end up with 10 percent employability in our graduates after a decade and half of formal education. Repeating the same ineffectual script in the realm of skill education will not produce different results.
Which of the following statements best reflects/reflect the most logical and rational inference/inferences that can be made from the passage?
- 1. In conventional classroom learning, the central goal is duration of learning rather than attainment of competency.
- 2. Conventional classrooms encourage one-size-fits-all approach and stamp out all differentiation.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Answer (c) & explanation
Both inferences follow (c). Step 1: the passage says conventional classrooms emphasise "fixed duration over learning effectiveness". So the goal is time spent, not skill gained (1). Step 2: it calls it "the tyranny of the classroom" that every learner gets "the same set of lectures in the same way for the same duration". That is a one-size-fits-all approach that ignores differences among learners (2). Step 3: both ideas come straight from the text, so options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Tip: when a statement paraphrases a key line, accept it. The passage's remedy is competency-based learning, where each learner moves on only after mastering a skill.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
Conventional classrooms, by emphasizing fixed duration over learning effectiveness, resign themselves to variable outcomes. The tyranny of the classroom is that every learner is subjected to the same set of lectures in the same way for the same duration. In the end, a few learners shine, some survive, and the rest are left behind. After the fixed duration, the classroom model moves on, with not a thought spared for those left behind. This is how we end up with 10 percent employability in our graduates after a decade and half of formal education. Repeating the same ineffectual script in the realm of skill education will not produce different results.
Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :
- 1. As a large number of workers in our country are employed in unorganized sector, India does not need to change its present conventional classroom system of education.
- 2. Even with its present conventional classroom system of education, India produces sufficient number of skilled workers to fully realize the benefits of demographic dividend.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are valid?
Answer (d) & explanation
Neither assumption is valid (d). Step 1: the passage attacks the classroom system: some learners are left behind and only 10 percent of graduates are employable. It warns that copying this model in skill education will fail. Step 2: assumption 1 says India need not change its system. Assumption 2 says the present system produces enough skilled workers. Both defend the current system, the exact opposite of the passage. Step 3: the unorganised sector is not even mentioned. So options (a), (b) and (c) fail.
Tip: an assumption must agree with the author's line of argument. If a statement contradicts the author's conclusion, reject it at once.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
When a child reaches adolescence, there is apt to be a conflict between the parents and the child, since the latter considers himself to be by now quite capable of managing his own affairs, while the former are filled with parental solicitude, which is often a disguise for love of power. Parents consider, usually, that the various moral problems which arise in adolescence are peculiarly their province. The options they express, however, are so dogmatic that the young seldom confide in them, and usually go their own way in secret.
Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :
- 1. The adolescent does not feel comfortable with his parents because they tend to be dominating and assertive.
- 2. The adolescent of modern times does not have much respect for parents.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are valid?
Answer (a) & explanation
Only assumption 1 is valid (a). Step 1: the passage says parental care is "often a disguise for love of power" and parents' opinions are "so dogmatic" that the young seldom confide in them. So the adolescent is uneasy because parents are dominating (1). Step 2: assumption 2 says adolescents lack respect for parents. The passage speaks of not confiding, not of disrespect. Step 3: it also never mentions "modern times". So 2 adds new ideas, and options (b), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: not confiding in someone is different from not respecting them. Watch for options that swap one feeling for another.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally. Food is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural production to final household consumption. The increasing wastage also results in land degradation by about 45%, mainly due to deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater extraction. The energy spent over wasted food results in about 3·5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide production every year. Decay also leads to harmful emissions of other gases in the atmosphere. Addressing the loss and wastage of food in all forms is critical to complete the cycle of food sufficiency and food sustainability.
Which of the following statements best reflect the most logical and rational inferences that can be made from the passage?
- 1. The current methods of food distribution are solely responsible for the loss and wastage of food.
- 2. Land productivity is adversely affected by the prevailing trend of food loss and wastage.
- 3. Reduction in the loss and wastage of food results in lesser carbon footprint.
- 4. Post-harvest technologies to prevent or reduce the loss and wastage of food are not available.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Answer (b) & explanation
Statements 2 and 3 can be inferred (b). Step 1: the passage says food wastage causes land degradation of about 45%. Damaged land gives less output, so land productivity suffers (2). Step 2: the energy spent on wasted food produces about 3.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ a year. So cutting waste cuts the carbon footprint (3). Step 3: statement 1 fails on the word "solely": food is lost "throughout the supply chain", from farm to household, not only in distribution. Statement 4, about post-harvest technology, is never mentioned. So options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: words like "solely", "only" and "always" usually make a statement too strong. One-third of the world's food is lost or wasted, as per the FAO.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
When a child reaches adolescence, there is apt to be a conflict between the parents and the child, since the latter considers himself to be by now quite capable of managing his own affairs, while the former are filled with parental solicitude, which is often a disguise for love of power. Parents consider, usually, that the various moral problems which arise in adolescence are peculiarly their province. The options they express, however, are so dogmatic that the young seldom confide in them, and usually go their own way in secret.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea of the above passage?
Answer (a) & explanation
The central idea is that parents may not be of much help as children grow into adults (a). Step 1: the passage shows adolescents feel able to manage their own lives, while parents are dogmatic. Step 2: so the young "seldom confide" in parents and go their own way in secret. Parents end up of little help, which is (a). The word "may" keeps it suitably mild. Step 3: option (b) says parents' involvement is "unnecessary", which is too absolute. Options (c) nuclear families and (d) stubborn adolescents are not discussed.
Tip: prefer moderate words ("may", "often") over absolute ones ("unnecessary", "never") in central-idea questions.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally. Food is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural production to final household consumption. The increasing wastage also results in land degradation by about 45%, mainly due to deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater extraction. The energy spent over wasted food results in about 3·5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide production every year. Decay also leads to harmful emissions of other gases in the atmosphere. Addressing the loss and wastage of food in all forms is critical to complete the cycle of food sufficiency and food sustainability.
Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :
- 1. The food distribution mechanism needs to be reimagined and made effective to reduce the loss and wastage of food.
- 2. Ensuring the reduction of wastage and loss of food is a social and moral responsibility of all citizens.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are valid?
Answer (c) & explanation
Both assumptions are valid (c). Step 1: the passage says food is lost "from initial agricultural production to final household consumption". The supply side, including distribution, is part of the problem, so it must be made effective (1). Step 2: losses also happen at the household level, so every citizen has a role in cutting waste (2). Step 3: the last line calls tackling waste "critical" for food sufficiency and sustainability, which supports both. So options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Tip: an assumption is what the author must believe for the argument to hold. If the problem spans the whole chain, action is needed at every link of the chain. Simple habits like cooking only what is needed reduce household waste.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
When an international team of scientists pumped a carbon dioxide and water mix into underground basalt rocks, basic chemistry took over. The acidic mixture dissolved rocks’ calcium and magnesium and formed limestone. Basically carbon dioxide is converted into stone, exclaimed the scientists.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical, rational and practical suggestion implied by the passage?
Answer (b) & explanation
The best suggestion is that this can be a method of carbon sequestration (b). Step 1: scientists pumped CO₂ and water into basalt rocks. The acid dissolved calcium and magnesium and formed limestone. Step 2: the key line is "carbon dioxide is converted into stone". Turning CO₂ into rock locks it away for good, which is carbon sequestration (capture and storage). So (b). Step 3: option (a), making commercial limestone, and (c), sourcing minerals, are side effects, not the point. Option (d) misreads the chemistry as an aim.
Tip: ask why the experiment matters, not just what happened. This idea, called mineral carbonation, is being tested in Iceland. It helps reach net-zero by removing CO₂ from the air.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
As inflation rises, even governments previously committed to budget discipline are spending freely to help households. Higher interest rates announced by central banks are supposed to help produce modest fiscal austerity, because to maintain stable debts while paying more to borrow, governments must cut spending or raise taxes. Without the fiscal backup, monetary policy eventually loses traction. Higher interest rates become inflationary, not disinflationary, because they simply lead governments to borrow more to pay rising debt-service costs. The risk of monetary unmooring is greater when public debt rises, because interest rates become more important to budget deficits.
Which of the following statements best reflects/reflect the most logical and rational inference/inferences that can be made from the passage?
- 1. Central banks cannot bring down inflation without budgetary backing.
- 2. The effects of monetary policy depend on the fiscal policies pursued by the government.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Answer (c) & explanation
Both inferences follow (c). Step 1: the key line is "Without the fiscal backup, monetary policy eventually loses traction." Monetary policy means the central bank raising interest rates; fiscal policy means government spending and taxes. Step 2: so rate hikes alone cannot cure inflation if the government keeps spending; the central bank needs budgetary backing (1). Step 3: the passage also says high rates can even turn inflationary when governments simply borrow more. So the effect of monetary policy depends on fiscal choices (2). Options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Tip: learn the two words: monetary policy = RBI (interest rates, money supply); fiscal policy = government (budget, taxes). In India the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee targets 4% inflation.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
Geographers analyzed 175 satellite images of ocean colour, which is an indicator of phytoplankton productivity at the ocean’s surface, and found that giant icebergs are responsible for storing up to 20 percent of carbon in the Southern Ocean. The researchers discovered that melting water from giant icebergs which contains iron and other nutrients, supports hitherto unexpectedly high levels of phytoplankton growth.
Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :
- 1. Giant icebergs have a bearing on primary productivity and food chains of the Southern Ocean.
- 2. Melting of giant icebergs can produce climate change effects and impact world fisheries.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are valid?
Answer (c) & explanation
Both assumptions are valid (c). Step 1: meltwater from giant icebergs carries iron and nutrients that boost phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are the base of the ocean food chain, so icebergs affect primary productivity and food chains (1). Step 2: icebergs help store up to 20 percent of the Southern Ocean's carbon. So changes in iceberg melting can affect the climate, and more or less plankton affects fish stocks (2). Step 3: both follow from the passage, so options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Tip: remember the chain: nutrients → phytoplankton → fish. Phytoplankton also absorb CO₂ through photosynthesis, which is why oceans are a major carbon sink. Iron is often the missing nutrient in the Southern Ocean.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
As inflation rises, even governments previously committed to budget discipline are spending freely to help households. Higher interest rates announced by central banks are supposed to help produce modest fiscal austerity, because to maintain stable debts while paying more to borrow, governments must cut spending or raise taxes. Without the fiscal backup, monetary policy eventually loses traction. Higher interest rates become inflationary, not disinflationary, because they simply lead governments to borrow more to pay rising debt-service costs. The risk of monetary unmooring is greater when public debt rises, because interest rates become more important to budget deficits.
Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :
- 1. Fiscal policies of governments are solely responsible for higher prices.
- 2. Higher prices do not affect the long-term government bonds.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are valid?
Answer (d) & explanation
Neither assumption is valid (d). Step 1: assumption 1 says fiscal policies are "solely" responsible for higher prices. The passage only says government spending can weaken the central bank's fight against inflation. It never says spending is the only cause; supply shocks, for example, are not ruled out. Step 2: assumption 2 talks about long-term government bonds. The passage mentions debt-service costs, but says nothing about how prices affect long-term bonds. Step 3: neither idea is needed for the argument to work. So options (a), (b) and (c) fail.
Tip: reject any assumption with "solely" unless the passage clearly names one single cause. Also reject statements about things the passage never discusses, however sensible they sound.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
Now-a-days there is a growing trend to use interconnected home devices. As consumers increasingly network their homes, the connected home device manufacturers and service providers will seek to overcome “thin profit margins by gathering more of our personal data—with or without our agreement—turning the home into a corporate storefront”. Corporate marketers will have powerful incentives to observe consumer behaviour to understand the buying needs and preferences of the device owners.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical, rational and practical message implied by the passage?
Answer (d) & explanation
The message is that connected home devices can bring security and privacy risks (d). Step 1: the passage says device makers will gather "more of our personal data—with or without our agreement". Step 2: it says homes may become a "corporate storefront", with marketers watching consumer behaviour. That is a clear warning about privacy. So (d). Step 3: options (a) and (b) praise data use for industry and growth; the passage does not. Option (c), comfort and quality of life, is also not the passage's point.
Tip: catch the tone. Phrases like "with or without our agreement" signal a warning. India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, requires consent for most data use.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
Today, if we consider cities such as New York, London and Paris as some of the most iconic cities in the world, it is because plans carrying a heavy systems approach were imposed on their precincts. The backbone of the systems theory is the process of translating social, spatial and cultural desirables into mathematical models using computing, statistics, optimization and an algorithmic way of formulating and solving problems. The early universities of the West which began to train professionals in planning, spawned some of the most ingenious planners, who were experts in these domains. This was because these very subjects were absorbed into the planning curriculum that had its roots in the social sciences, geography and architecture. Planning in India, and its education differ from the West.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?
Answer (a) & explanation
The best inference is that urban planning courses need a diverse, interdisciplinary approach (a). Step 1: the passage says cities like New York, London and Paris became iconic through a systems approach: computing, statistics and maths. Step 2: Western universities produced great planners because these subjects were added to a curriculum rooted in social sciences, geography and architecture. That is a mix of fields, so (a). Step 3: options (b) bureaucracy, (c) funds and (d) population and poverty bring in outside facts the passage never mentions.
Tip: an inference must come from the passage itself. Reject options that may be true about India but are not in the text. "Interdisciplinary" means combining many subjects.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
We often hear about conflicts among different States in India over river waters. Of the 20 major river systems, 14 are already water-stressed; 75% of the population lives in water-stressed regions, a third of whom live in water-scarce areas. Climate change, the demands of rising population and the need for agriculture to keep pace, and increased rate of urbanization and industrialization will exacerbate water stress. According to the Constitution of India, water is a State subject and not that of the Union, except for regulation of inter-State rivers. Key to ensuring balance between competing demands of various stakeholders is a basin-based approach to allocate water amongst constituent regions and States. Allocating fair share of water to them requires assessments based on objective criteria, such as specificities of the river basin, size of dependent population, existing water use and demand, efficiency of use, projected future use, etc. while ensuring the environmental needs of the river and aquifers.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the most rational, practical and immediate action required to ensure fair and equitable allocation of water to different stakeholders ?
Answer (a) & explanation
The immediate action is a national, practical legal and policy framework for allocating water (a). Step 1: the passage says water is a State subject, and States often fight over rivers. Step 2: it says the key is a basin-based approach that shares water using objective criteria: basin features, population, current use, efficiency and future needs. That is a framework for allocation, so (a). Step 3: options (b) river linking and (c) new channels are engineering projects the passage never proposes. Option (d), cutting demand, is not the fair-allocation step it asks for.
Tip: under the Constitution, water is in the State List (Entry 17), while inter-State rivers fall under the Union (Entry 56). This is why fair-sharing rules matter.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
Scientists studied the vernal window — transition period from winter to the growing season. They found that warmer winters with less snow resulted in a longer lag time between spring events and a more protracted vernal window. This change in the spring timetable has ecological, social and economic consequences — for agriculture, fisheries and tourism. As the ice melts earlier, the birds don’t return, causing a delay, or lengthening in springtime ecological events.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :
- 1. Global warming is causing spring to come early and for longer durations.
- 2. Early spring and longer period of spring is not good for bird populations.
Which of the above assumptions is/are correct ?
Answer (a) & explanation
Only assumption 1 is correct (a). Step 1: the passage says warmer winters with less snow cause a "more protracted vernal window" and earlier ice melt. So global warming makes spring come early and last longer (1). Step 2: it says birds don't return on time, delaying spring events. Step 3: but it does not say bird populations suffer. Late return is not the same as harm to numbers. So assumption 2 fails, and options (b), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: "vernal" means spring. A change in timing is not proof of a fall in numbers; don't stretch the passage.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
More than half of Indian women and almost a quarter of Indian men of working age suffer from anaemia. According to studies, they are anywhere from 5–15% less productive than they could be, as a result thereof. India also has the largest tuberculosis burden in the world, costing 170 million workdays to the country annually. But what is just as important as lost productivity now is lost potential in the future. It is becoming increasingly clear that on many measures of cognitive ability, malnourished Indian children perform two or three times worse than their adequately nourished peers. For an economy that will be more dependent on highly skilled workers, this poses a significant challenge. And it is one that really should be addressed given India’s demographic outlook.
Which one of the following statements best reflects what is implied by the passage ?
Answer (d) & explanation
The implication is that for rapid growth, attention must go to people's health and nutrition (d). Step 1: the passage says anaemia makes workers 5–15% less productive, and TB costs 170 million workdays a year. Step 2: it adds that malnourished children do two or three times worse on cognitive tests, hurting future potential. So health and nutrition drive growth. That is (d). Step 3: option (c) says only skilled workers need attention, which is too narrow. Options (a) and (b) shift to education and skills, which the passage does not discuss.
Tip: the passage links health to productivity both now and in future. Pick the option that covers all the people, not one group.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
A global analysis of nitrogen use efficiency — a measure of the amount of nitrogen a plant takes in to grow versus what is left behind as pollution — says that using too much fertilizers will lead to increased pollution of waterways and the air. Currently, the global average for nitrogen use efficiency is approximately 0·4, meaning 40 per cent of the total nitrogen added to cropland goes into the harvested crop while 60 per cent is lost to the environment, says a study. More than half of the world’s population is nourished by food grown with fertilizers containing synthetic nitrogen, which is needed to produce high crop yields. Plants take the nitrogen they need to grow, and the excess is left in the ground, water and air. This results in significant emissions of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse and ozone depleting gas, and other forms of nitrogen pollution, including eutrophication of lakes and rivers and contamination of river water.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical, rational and crucial message implied by the passage ?
Answer (a) & explanation
The crucial message is that better nitrogen-use efficiency is needed for both food and the environment (a). Step 1: the passage says synthetic nitrogen feeds more than half the world's people. Step 2: but only 40% of it reaches the crop; 60% is lost as pollution, including nitrous oxide. So using nitrogen more efficiently serves both food and environment. That is (a). Step 3: option (b) covers only food. Option (c), alternative crops, is not raised. Option (d) discards fertilisers that the passage calls necessary for high yields.
Tip: nitrous oxide is both a greenhouse gas and ozone-depleting. India promotes neem-coated urea and Nano urea to cut nitrogen loss.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
Environmental problems cause health problems. Substantial changes in lifestyle can reduce environmental or health problems, but this idea appears almost impossible to adopt. With environmental problems, individual efforts can be perceived as having a negligible effect and therefore lead to inertia. With health, on the other hand, individual choices can make the difference between life and death, literally. And yet, barring a few, there seems to be the same collective lethargy towards making their choices.
Which one of the following statements best implies the most rational assumption that can be made from the passage ?
Answer (a) & explanation
The rational assumption is that we are likely to spend more on cure than prevention (a). Step 1: the passage says lifestyle changes could cut health problems. Step 2: but people show "collective lethargy" about making those choices, even when life and death are at stake. If they will not prevent illness, they will later pay for cure. That is (a). Step 3: option (c), health protected while environmental problems go on, goes against the first line. Options (b), government's job, and (d), western values, are not in the passage.
Tip: an assumption often follows from the passage's main complaint. Here the complaint is inaction on prevention.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.